Wednesday 20th May, 2020

Marie Curie (1867 – 1934)

Maria Salomea Sklodowska was born in Warsaw,

Poland, on November 7th 1867. She was the
youngest of five children – three older sisters and
a brother. Her mother was a Headmistress and
her father taught Maths and Physics and he
introduced the subjects to Maria when she was a
child. When Maria was young, Poland was ruled
by Russia. Maria’s family didn’t like the rules the
Russian government made, however. For
example, it was against the law to speak Polish
and it was illegal for girls to go to school. Maria
was clever and curious, though, so her parents
decided to send her to a secret school, where
she did extremely well.

Unfortunately, however, not everything in Maria’s early life was easy. In 1877,
when Maria was just 10 years old, her oldest sister died from typhus and in 1979
her mother died of tuberculosis. Maria and her family were heartbroken. Maria
finished school when she was 15. She and her sister, Bronya were both interested
in scientific research and after school, they both desperately wanted to go to
University. The University in Warsaw, however, only allowed men to attend at the
time. Women were allowed to go to University in other countries, but that was
very expensive. So Maria and Bronya promised each other that they would take
turns working to pay for the other to travel abroad to study. Maria thought that
every child should be educated, so for almost 5 years, she secretly worked as a
governess and a tutor, illegally teaching poor children to read. She sent the
money she earned to Bronya, who attended University and became a doctor,
which was almost unheard of for women at the time.

In 1891, Maria moved to Paris. She changed her name to Marie because it
sounded more French. She studied at the Sorbonne, a famous University, where
she earned a degree in physics, maths and chemistry. Later, she gained a
master’s degree in physics and then yet another degree in maths. Marie was so
poor while she was there,
 Wednesday 20th May, 2020

however, that she had to live on bread and tea and she
sometimes fainted from hunger!

While she was in Paris, Marie met Pierre Curie, a physics

professor. They soon fell in love and were married in 1895.
Marie worked with her husband in scientific research to
investigate x-rays, ‘radioactivity’, and how atoms work. In
1898 Marie and Pierre discovered two new substances,
called polonium (named after Poland) and radium. In
1903, they won a joint Nobel Prize for their work in physics,
making Marie the first woman ever to win the award.
 Wednesday 20th May, 2020

Marie and Pierre had two children – Irene born in 1897 and Eve, born in 1904.
Sadly, in 1906, when Eve was just 2 years old, Pierre was killed when he was
knocked down in the street by a horse drawn carriage. Marie was devastated,
of course, but she decided to take over Pierre’s work. She became the first ever
female professor at the Sorbonne University, and she won a Nobel Prize of her
own for her work in Chemistry in 1911. Soon after this, doctors found that
radiology could help with curing cancer.

Then, in 1914, the First World War started. Marie realised if military doctors had
access to x-ray machines, they could make better medical decisions and save
more lives. She helped to develop mobile x-ray machines and put them into
ambulances, which she herself drove to the wounded soldiers on the front line.

These vehicles became known as ‘Little Curies’ in Marie’s honour and they
helped over 1 million soldiers during the war. She trained doctors and taught
them how to use this new life-saving equipment and in 1921, she set up the Curie
Institute in Paris. It is still an important cancer research centre today.

Marie didn’t realise it, but the radioactive substances she worked with were very
dangerous. As a result of working with them for such a long time, Marie
developed leukaemia, a blood disease, and died on 4th July 1934, aged 66.

Marie’s discoveries of radium and polonium have changed science and

medicine forever. Her work meant that x-ray machines became more useful and
were used more by doctors. They continue to be used today to detect broken
bones and other problems, helping doctors to treat and cure their patients.
 Wednesday 20th May, 2020

Comprehension Questions

Read the text and answer the questions below

1. Where and when was Maria born?

.....................................................................................................................................

2. Why was Maria’s father influential in her career?

.....................................................................................................................................

3. How did Maria help her sister to go to University?

.....................................................................................................................................

4. Find 5 facts in the text about Maria’s education, including University.

i. .............................................................................................................................

ii. .............................................................................................................................

iii. .............................................................................................................................

iv. .............................................................................................................................

v. .............................................................................................................................

5. List 5 things that happened to Maria in Paris

i. ..........................................................................................................................

ii. .............................................................................................................................

iii. .............................................................................................................................

iv. .............................................................................................................................

v. .............................................................................................................................

6. What was Marie’s husband called?

.....................................................................................................................................
 Wednesday 20th May, 2020

7. What did Marie and Pierre Curie investigate?

.....................................................................................................................................

8. Which substances did Marie and Pierre discover?

.....................................................................................................................................

9. How do you think Marie and Pierre felt about receiving the Nobel Prize for
their work in Physics? Why?

.....................................................................................................................................

10. What were ‘Little Curies’?

.....................................................................................................................................

11. How and when did Marie Curie die?

.....................................................................................................................................
Comprehension Answers

1. Maria was born in Warsaw, Poland on 7th November 1867

2. Maria’s father was influential in her career because he taught Maths and
Physics and he introduced the subjects to Maria when she was a child.

3. For almost 5 years, Maria secretly worked as a governess and a tutor, illegally
teaching poor children to read. She sent the money she earned to her sister,
who attended University and became a doctor

4. Five facts:

i. Maria’s parents decided to send her to a secret school

ii. Maria did extremely well at school
iii. Maria finished school when she was 15.
iv. In 1891, Maria moved to Paris and studied at the Sorbonne, a famous
University
v. Marie earned a degree in physics, maths and chemistry. Later, she gained a
masters degree in physics and then yet another degree in maths.

5. Pick 5 from:

• Maria moved to Paris in 1891.

• She changed her name to Marie because it sounded more French.
• She studied at the Sorbonne, a famous University
• She earned a degree in physics, maths and chemistry. Later, she gained a
masters degree in physics and then yet another degree in maths.
• Marie often fainted from hunger because she was so poor and had to live
on bread and tea
• Marie met Pierre Curie
• Marie and Pierre got married in 1895.
• Marie worked with her husband in scientific research
• In 1903, they won a joint Nobel Prize
• Marie and Pierre had two children
• Pierre was killed

6. Marie’s husband was called Pierre

7. Marie and Pierre investigated x-rays, ‘radioactivity’, and how atoms work.

8. Marie and Pierre discovered polonium and radium

9. Several answers could be used here – excited, proud, happy etc and any
related reason – e.g. They had worked hard to achieve this and were pleased
to be recognised for their work

10. Little Curies were the ambulances which had mobile x-ray machines on board
to help the injured soldiers in the First World War

11. Marie developed leukaemia, a blood disease, as a result of over exposure to

radiation. She died on 4th July 1934, aged 66.